PRE-ORDERS

Shipping Charges

United States

I charge as close to actual
shipping fees as possible. I'm not in the business of making a profit from
shipping fees.

The shopping cart will not
calculate the exact amount due.
Estimated shipping is calculated by weight from US zip code 26301 to 90210 using
USPS parcel post rates
Please pay the amount charged at the time of your order and I will either refund
the extra or bill you any postage due.

If you want your order
shipped a different way, PLEASE make a note of it with your order.

If you want a different form of shipping,
contact me, and we will work together
on a solution.

Shipping charges and delivery times for other
countries vary.

I am not responsible for taxes/customs or any
other additional charges/fees imposed by other countries for international
orders.

When placing an order with both "in stock"
items and "pre-order" items, an estimated shipping amount will be
charged.

After I figure the actual charges, I will
request the balance before I ship your items.

Returns & Refunds

Shipping Costs are not Refundable

If, within 3 days of receiving your order,
you believe that we made a grading error or misrepresented your purchase,
contact us for
return instructions. Once the item has been returned in the same condition as it
was sent in, you will be given a refund, postage is NOT refundable. It is your
responsibility to ensure that it is packed well and arrives to us undamaged.
Insurance and tracking are recommended.

Returns will be accepted only in the event
that a mistake or misrepresentation was made on my part.

Damages

I pack your Items as I would want to receive
them. However if you receive a damaged item and purchased insurance, you must
contact us
within 3 days of receiving the item. We will then instruct on how begin the
insurance claim process or to receive a replacement item. I am not responsible
if an item is damaged in transit and you did not purchase insurance. If you did
purchase insurance, then the liability is with the shipping carrier. Insurance
is offered with all most shipping options.

-Grading, We use the Overstreet Guide. (See
it below), If you believe that we made a grading error or
misrepresented the items please see our Return Instructions.

-New Comics, are NOT guaranteed to be Mint.
We do check for corner bends, packing damages, large tears and folds, but not
every spine stress. New Comic books are sent in unread condition and will
typically be in at least VF/NM. If a comic does not
have a grade assigned, then it is VF|NM

-CGC Graded Items, These have been previously
graded and encased, we do not accept returns on them. We have clear and large
scans, with larger ones provided upon request. If you disagree with the grade,
contact CGC at 1-877-662-6642 for the graders notes.

-Statues & Busts, other items that are
prepackaged, are not considered damaged if they arrive to you in a damaged box,
but the statue is fine, a bent box is not considered a damaged item. Please read
the item's description, as it will detail any box damage or wear. We open,
inspect, and photograph all statues, busts and other items to insure quality and
check for defects and damage. We always ship a "box in a box" to insure safe
arrival.

From the Overstreet website

About Grading

Before a comic book’s true
value can be assessed, its condition or state of preservation must be
determined. In all cases, the better the condition of the comic, the more
desirable and valuable the book will be. Comic book grading has evolved over the
past several decades from a much looser interpretation of standards in the
beginning to the very tight professional scrutiny in use by the market today. In
recent years, grading criteria have become even tighter.

Several events have impacted
grading over the years. The first has to be the arrival of comic book
conventions. Here, collectors could easily compare and discuss grading with
dealers. The second major event was the discovery of the Mile High collection in
1977, which showed fandom truly high-grade Golden Age books.

Probably the most important
event to date, however, was the arrival of independent, third party comic book
certification when Comics Guaranty, LLC (CGC) entered the marketplace. This
transformed much of the industry and introduced many die-hard and casual
collectors alike to the subtle distinctions involved in grading comic books. A
profile of CGC can be found in The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #36,
beginning on Page 1044.

The 2002 release of the
second edition of The Official Overstreet Comic Book Grading Guide was
embraced by the vast majority of the comic book collecting community, and
included a high component of advisor, reader, collector, and dealer input. The
Overstreet standards, long relied upon by collectors from the professional to
the casual level, describe a method for evaluating the condition of all comic
books from the earliest periods through the Modern Age.

For much more information on
grading and restoration, as well as full-color photographs of many major defects
and conditions, consult The Official Overstreet Comic Book Grading Guide.
Copies are available through all normal distribution channels (your local comic
book shop or traditional and online booksellers).

How To Grade

It is very important to be
able to properly grade your books if you are trying to ascertain their value.
Comics should be graded from the exterior (the covers) to the interior (the
pages) and thoroughly examined before assigning a final grade.

Carefully remove the comic
from its plastic bag or Mylar sleeve, if it is stored in one, and lay the comic
down on a flat, clean surface. Under normal incandescent lighting, examine the
exterior of the comic from front to back, identifying any defects, loss of cover
reflectivity or other significant attributes. Check the spine for rusted
staples, stress lines, tears, and spine roll.

Check to make sure that the
centerfold and all interior pages are still present. The whiteness level of the
pages is of major importance in determining the final grade as well. Locate and
identify interior defects such as chipping, flaking, possible brittleness, and
other flaws.

After all the above steps
have been taken, the collector can then begin to consider an overall grade for
his or her book, which may range from absolutely perfect Gem Mint condition to
Poor, where a comic is extremely worn, dirty and even falling apart.

Numerous variables influence
the evaluation of a comic book’s condition and all must be considered in the
final determination of a grade. Although the grade of a comic book is based upon
an accumulation of defects, some defects may be more extreme for a particular
grade as long as other acceptable listed defects are absent or less severe. As
grading is the most subjective aspect of determining a comic’s value - more of
an art than a science - it is very important for the grader to take care not to
allow wishful thinking to influence what the choice of grade. It is also very
important to realize that older comics in high-grade condition are extremely
scarce.

GRADING DEFINITIONS

10.0 GEM MINT (GM):
An exceptional example of a given book - the best ever seen. Only the slightest
bindery or printing defects are allowed. Cover is flat with no surface wear.
Inks are bright with high reflectivity. Corners are cut square and sharp. Spine
is tight and flat. Staples must be original, centered and clean with no rust.
Paper is white, supple and fresh. No interior autographs or owner signatures.

9.9 MINT (MT):
Near perfect in every way. Only subtle bindery or printing defects are allowed.
Cover is flat with no surface wear. Inks are bright with high reflectivity and
minimal fading. Corners are cut square and sharp. Small, inconspicuous, lightly
penciled, stamped or inked arrival dates are acceptable as long as they are in
an unobtrusive location. Spine is tight and flat. Staples must be original,
generally centered and clean with no rust. Paper is white, supple and fresh.

9.8 NEAR MINT/MINT
(NM/MT):
Nearly perfect in every way with only minor imperfections that keep it from the
next higher grade. Only subtle bindery or printing defects are allowed. Cover is
flat with no surface wear. Inks are bright with high reflectivity and minimal
fading. Corners are cut square and sharp. Small, inconspicuous, lightly
penciled, stamped or inked arrival dates are acceptable as long as they are in
an unobtrusive location. Spine is tight and flat. Staples must be original,
generally centered and clean with no rust. Paper is white, supple and fresh.
Only the slightest interior tears are allowed.

9.6 NEAR MINT+ (NM+):
Nearly perfect
with a minor additional virtue or virtues that raise it from Near Mint. Only
subtle bindery or printing defects are allowed. No bindery tears are allowed,
although on Golden Age books bindery tears of up to 1/8" have been noted. Cover
is flat with no surface wear. Inks are bright with high reflectivity and a
minimum of fading. One corner may be almost imperceptibly blunted, but still
almost sharp and cut square. Almost imperceptible indentations are permissible,
but no creases, bends, or color breaks. Small, inconspicuous, lightly penciled,
stamped or inked arrival dates are acceptable as long as they are in an
unobtrusive location. Spine is tight and flat. Staples must be original,
generally centered, with only the slightest discoloration. Paper is off-white,
supple and fresh. Only the slightest interior tears are allowed.

9.4 NEAR MINT (NM): Nearly perfect with
only minor imperfections that keep it from the next higher grade. Subtle
bindery/printing defects are allowed. Bindery tears must be less than 1/16" on
Silver Age and later books, although on Golden Age books bindery tears of up to
1/4" have been noted. Cover is flat with no surface wear. Inks are bright with
high reflectivity and a minimum of fading. Corners are cut square and sharp with
ever-so-slight blunting permitted. A 1/16" bend is permitted with no color
break. Small, inconspicuous, lightly penciled, stamped or inked arrival dates
are acceptable as long as they are in an unobtrusive location. Slight foxing.
Spine is tight and flat. Staples are generally centered; may have slight
discoloration. Almost no stress lines. Paper is off-white to cream, supple and
fresh. Slight interior tears are allowed.

9.2 NEAR MINT– (NM–):
Nearly perfect with only a minor additional defect or defects that keep it from
Near Mint. A limited number of minor bindery/printing defects are allowed. Cover
is flat with no surface wear. Inks are bright with only the slightest dimming of
reflectivity. Corners are cut square and sharp with ever-so-slight blunting
permitted. A 1/16-1/8" bend is permitted with no color break. Small,
inconspicuous, lightly penciled, stamped or inked arrival dates are acceptable
as long as they are in an unobtrusive location. Slight foxing. Spine is tight
and flat. Staples may show some discoloration. Almost no stress lines. Paper is
off-white to cream, supple and fresh. Slight interior tears are allowed.

9.0 VERY FINE/NEAR MINT
(VF/NM):
Nearly perfect with outstanding eye appeal. A limited number of bindery/printing
defects are allowed. Cover is almost flat with almost imperceptible wear. Inks
are bright with slightly diminished reflectivity. An 1/8" bend is allowed if
color is not broken. Corners are cut square and sharp with ever-so-slight
blunting permitted but no creases. Several lightly penciled, stamped or inked
arrival dates are acceptable. Very minor foxing. Spine is tight and flat.
Staples may show some discoloration. Only the slightest staple tears are
allowed. A very minor accumulation of stress lines may be present if they are
nearly imperceptible. Paper is off-white to cream and supple. Very minor
interior tears may be present.

8.5 VERY FINE+ (VF+):
Fits the
criteria for Very Fine but with an additional virtue or small accumulation of
virtues that improves the book’s appearance by a perceptible amount.

8.0 VERY FINE (VF): An excellent copy
with outstanding eye appeal. A limited accumulation of minor bindery/printing
defects is allowed. Cover is relatively flat with minimal surface wear beginning
to show, possibly including some minute wear at corners. Inks are generally
bright with moderate to high reflectivity. An unnoticeable 1/4" crease is
acceptable if color is not broken. Stamped or inked arrival dates may be
present. Minor foxing. Spine is almost completely flat with a possible minor
color break. Staples may show some discoloration. Very slight staple tears and a
few almost insignificant stress lines may be present. Paper is cream to tan and
supple. Centerfold is mostly secure. Minor interior tears at the margin may be
present.

7.5 VERY FINE– (VF–):
Fits the criteria for Very Fine but with an additional defect or small
accumulation of defects that detracts from the book’s appearance by a
perceptible amount.

7.0 FINE/VERY FINE
(FN/VF): An
above-average copy that shows minor wear but is still relatively flat and clean
with outstanding eye appeal. A small accumulation of minor bindery/printing
defects is allowed. Minor cover wear beginning to show, possibly including minor
creases. Corners may be blunted. Inks are generally bright with a moderate
reduction in reflectivity. Stamped or inked arrival dates may be present. Minor
foxing. The slightest spine roll may be present, as well as a possible moderate
color break. Staples may show some discoloration. Slight staple tears and a
small accumulation of light stress lines may be present. Slight rust migration.
Paper is cream to tan. Centerfold is mostly secure. Minor interior tears at the
margin may be present.

6.5 FINE+ (FN+): Fits the criteria for
Fine but with an additional virtue or small accumulation of virtues that
improves the book’s appearance by a perceptible amount.

6.0 FINE (FN): An above-average copy
that shows minor wear but is still relatively flat and clean with no significant
creasing or other serious defects. Some accumulation of minor bindery/printing
defects is allowed. Minor cover wear apparent, with minor to moderate creases.
Inks show a significant reduction in reflectivity. Blunted corners are more
common, as is minor staining, soiling, discoloration, and/or foxing. Stamped or
inked arrival dates may be present. A minor spine roll is allowed. There can
also be a 1/4" spine split or severe color break. Staples may show minor
discoloration. Minor staple tears and a few slight stress lines may be present,
as well as minor rust migration. Paper is tan to brown and fairly supple with no
signs of brittleness. Minor interior tears at the margin may be present.
Centerfold may be loose.

5.5 FINE– (FN–):
Fits the criteria for Fine but with an additional defect or small accumulation
of defects that detracts from the book’s appearance by a perceptible amount.

5.0 VERY GOOD/FINE
(VG/FN): An
above-average but well-used comic book. An accumulation of bindery/printing
defects is allowed. Minor to moderate cover wear apparent, with minor to
moderate creases and/or dimples. Inks have moderate to low reflectivity. Blunted
corners are increasingly common, as is minor to moderate staining,
discoloration, and/or foxing. Stamped or inked arrival dates may be present. A
minor to moderate spine roll is allowed. A spine split of up to 1/2" may be
present. Staples may show minor discoloration. Minor staple tears and minor
stress lines may also be present, as well as minor rust migration. Paper is tan
to brown with no signs of brittleness. Centerfold may be loose. Minor interior
tears may also be present.

4.5 VERY GOOD+ (VG):
Fits the
criteria for Very Good but with an additional virtue or small accumulation of
virtues that improves the book’s appearance by a perceptible amount.

4.0 VERY GOOD (VG): The average used
comic book. Cover shows moderate to significant wear, and may be loose but not
completely detached. Cover reflectivity is low. Can have moderate creases or
dimples. Corners may be blunted. Store stamps, name stamps, arrival dates,
initials, etc. have no effect on this grade. Some discoloration, fading, foxing,
and even minor soiling is allowed. As much as a 1/4" triangle can be missing out
of the corner or edge; a missing 1/8" square is also acceptable. Only minor
unobtrusive tape and other amateur repair allowed on otherwise high grade
copies. Moderate spine roll may be present and/or a 1" spine split. Staples may
be discolored. Minor to moderate staple tears and stress lines may be present,
as well as some rust migration. Paper is brown but not brittle. Minor to
moderate interior tears may be present. Centerfold may be loose or detached at
one staple.

3.5 VERY GOOD– (VG–):
Fits the criteria for Very Good but with an additional defect or small
accumulation of defects that detracts from the book’s appearance by a
perceptible amount.

3.0 GOOD/VERY GOOD
(GD/VG): A
used comic book showing some substantial wear. Cover shows significant wear, and
may be loose or even detached at one staple. Cover reflectivity is very low. Can
have a book-length crease and/or dimples. Corners may be blunted or even
rounded. Discoloration, fading, foxing, and even minor to moderate soiling is
allowed. A triangle from 1/4" to 1/2" can be missing out of the corner or edge;
a missing 1/8" to 1/4" square is also acceptable. Tape and other amateur repair
may be present. Moderate spine roll likely. May have a spine split of anywhere
from 1" to 1-1/2". Staples may be rusted or replaced. Minor to moderate staple
tears and moderate stress lines may be present, as well as some rust migration.
Paper is brown but not brittle. Centerfold may be loose or detached at one
staple. Minor to moderate interior tears may be present.

2.5 GOOD+ (GD+): Fits the criteria for
Good but with an additional virtue or small accumulation of virtues that
improves the book’s appearance by a perceptible amount.

2.0 GOOD (GD): Shows substantial
wear; often considered a "reading copy." Cover shows significant wear and may
even be detached. Cover reflectivity is low and in some cases completely absent.
Book-length creases and dimples may be present. Rounded corners are more common.
Moderate soiling, staining, discoloration and foxing may be present. The largest
piece allowed missing from the front or back cover is usually a 1/2" triangle or
a 1/4" square, although some Silver Age books such as 1960s Marvels have had the
price corner box clipped from the top left front cover and may be considered
Good if they would otherwise have graded higher. Tape and other forms of amateur
repair are common in Silver Age and older books. Spine roll is likely. May have
up to a 2" spine split. Staples may be degraded, replaced or missing. Moderate
staple tears and stress lines may be present, as well as rust migration. Paper
is brown but not brittle. Centerfold may be loose or detached. Moderate interior
tears may be present.

1.8 GOOD– (GD–):
Fits the criteria for Good but with an additional defect or small accumulation
of defects that detracts from the book’s appearance by a perceptible amount.

1.5 FAIR/GOOD (FR/GD):
Shows
substantial to heavy wear. Books in this grade are commonly creased, scuffed,
abraded, soiled, and possibly unattractive, but still generally readable. Cover
shows considerable wear and may be detached. Almost no cover reflectivity
remaining. Book-length creases, tears and folds may be present. Rounded corners
are increasingly common. Soiling, staining, discoloration and foxing is
generally present. Up to 1/10 of the back cover may be missing. Tape and other
forms of amateur repair are increasingly common in Silver Age and older books.
Spine roll is common. May have a spine split between 2" and 2/3 the length of
the book. Staples may be degraded, replaced or missing. Staple tears and stress
lines are common, as well as rust migration. Paper is brown and may show
brittleness around the edges. Acidic odor may be present. Centerfold may be
loose or detached. Interior tears are common.

1.0 FAIR (FR): Shows heavy wear.
Some collectors consider this the lowest collectible grade because comic books
in lesser condition are usually incomplete and/or brittle. Cover may be
detached, and inks have lost all reflectivity. Creases, tears and/or folds are
prevalent. Corners are commonly rounded or absent. Soiling and staining is
present. Books in this condition generally have all pages and most of the
covers, although there may be up to 1/4 of the front cover missing or no back
cover, but not both. Tape and other forms of amateur repair are more common.
Spine roll is more common; spine split can extend up to 2/3 the length of the
book. Staples may be missing or show rust and discoloration. An accumulation of
staple tears and stress lines may be present, as well as rust migration. Paper
is brown and may show brittleness around the edges but not in the central
portion of the pages. Acidic odor may be present. Accumulation of interior
tears. Chunks may be missing. The centerfold may be missing if readability is
generally preserved. Coupons may be cut.

0.5 POOR (PR): Sufficiently degraded
to the point where there is little or no collector value; easily identified by a
complete absence of eye appeal. Brittle almost to the point of turning to dust
with a touch, and usually incomplete. Extreme fading may render the cover almost
indiscernible. May have extremely severe stains, mildew or heavy cover abrasion
to the point that some cover inks are indistinct/absent. Covers may be detached
with large chunks missing. Can have extremely ragged edges and extensive
creasing. Corners are rounded or virtually absent. Covers may have been defaced
with paints, varnishes, glues, oil, indelible markers or dyes, and may have
suffered heavy water damage. Can also have extensive amateur repairs such as
laminated covers. Extreme spine roll present; can have extremely ragged spines
or a complete, book-length split. Staples can be missing or show extreme rust
and discoloration. Extensive staple tears and stress lines may be present, as
well as extreme rust migration. Paper exhibits moderate to severe brittleness
(where the comic book literally falls apart when examined). Extreme acidic odor
may be present. Extensive interior tears. Multiple pages, including the
centerfold, may be missing that affect readability. Coupons may be cut.

For more information on comic
book grading, please consult current edition of The Official Overstreet
Grading Guide.

Pedigrees

There are a group of special
books, known as pedigrees, that have high cover gloss, brilliant cover inks and
white, fresh, supple pages that place them far above other books that might
receive the same technical grade. Books from these pedigree collections actually
transcend their technical grade. Of these, many collectors and dealers agree
that the most important collections are the Mile High (Edgar Church) collection,
the San Francisco (Reilly) collection, and the Gaines file copies. They are the
most sought after and generally the most well-documented, making it easier to
ascertain identity or provenance. Books from these collections all exhibit the
extra qualities mentioned above.

This striking difference
becomes apparent when comparing two comic books of the same grade, one pedigree
and one generic. In most cases, the pedigree book will far outshine the generic
one. This is the reason why copies from the Mile High, San Francisco and Gaines
File collections bring multiples of Guide. Many also agree that a book
from one of these collections could very well be one of, if not the, best
surviving copies.

To the beginner, it may seem
odd that a 9.2 Mile High will bring a higher price than a non-pedigree 9.4, but
to the seasoned collector with a good understanding of the hobby and its
historical background, it makes perfect sense. The novice collector should
understand these facts and acquire as much knowledge as possible about all the
other pedigree collections and their place in the market before paying large
multiples of Guide for books that are not of pedigree quality.